ABSTRACT
Salmonellosis is a relevant public health threat worldwide. Reptiles are commonly involved in human cases. A microbiological survey was conducted from August to October 2018 to isolate Salmonella bacteria and de-termine if they were resistant to regularly used antibiotics in eight species of pet turtles (Kinosternon acutum sp., K. leucostomum, K. scorpioides, Rhinoclemmys areolata sp., R. pulcherrima, Staurotypus salvinii sp., Trachemys scripta and T. venusta) in Guatemala city, San Lucas Sacatepéquez and Antigua Guatemala. Cloacal swabs were taken from 63 turtles and cultivated in the Microbiology Laboratory at the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Hus-bandry Faculty, University of San Carlos of Guatemala, in Guatemala City. Three samples were positive to the presence of Salmonella sp. One of these isolates (from Trachemys scripta) was resistant to gentamicin, penicillin and amikacin, other isolate (from T. scripta) was partially resistant to amoxicilin + clavulanic acid and penicillin, and other (from T. venusta) to penicillin. These findings highlight the need for better biosecurity practices and show the capacity of bacteria to develop survival strategies that involve resistance to harmful substances like antibiotics.
La salmonelosis es una importante enfermedad zoonótica considerada una amenaza a la salud pública a nivel mundial. Los reptiles están comúnmente involucrados en la transmisión animal-humano. Con el objetivo de determinar la presencia de Salmonella y determinar su resistencia a antibióticos de uso común, se realizó un estudio exploratorio en ocho especies de tortugas (Kinosternon acutum sp., K. leucostomum, K. scorpioides, Rhinoclem-mys areolata sp., R. pulcherrima, Staurotypus salvinii sp., Trachemys scripta y T. venusta) en Guatemala y en San Lucas Sacatepéquez. Se tomaron hisopados cloacales de 63 especímenes y se cultivaron en el Laboratorio de Microbiología de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. Tres muestras fueron positivas a la presencia de Salmonella sp. Uno de los aislados (de Trachemys scripta) fue resistente a gentamicina, penicilina y amikacina, otro aislado (de T. scripta) fue parcialmente resistente a amoxicilina + ácido clavulánico y a penicilina y un tercer aislado (de T. venusta) a penicilina. Estos hallazgos resaltan la necesidad de mejores prácticas de bioseguridad y muestran la capacidad de las bacterias para desarrollar estrategias de sobrevivencia que involucran la resistencia a sustancias que les son nocivas, como los antibióticos.
Subject(s)
Salmonella/drug effects , Turtles/parasitology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/analysis , Penicillins/adverse effects , Amikacin/adverse effects , Gentamicins/adverse effects , Pets/microbiologyABSTRACT
Analytical methods were validated for the analysis of fumonisins (FB1 and FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) in maize germ, corn oil and margarine. A survey of 74 samples consisting of 12 wet-milled maize germ, 12 dry-milled maize germ, 25 refined corn oil, and 25 corn oil margarine was conducted. Results revealed that 100% and 87.5% of maize germ samples presented FB1 and FB2, respectively, attaining concentrations for the sum of both toxins of 1302±541 µg kg(-1) in wet-milled and 820±831 µg kg(-1) in dry-milled maize germ. The lower incidence of FB1, FB2 and DON in edible oil and margarine (4-8%) may be related with the industrial processes for their obtaining besides the high water-solubility of these mycotoxins. In contrast, 25% of maize germ samples were positive for ZEA as well as 32% of corn oil and 24% of margarine, which may be related with its lipophilic nature. A number of samples exceeded the maximum limits indicating that strict control is needed, though estimated dietary exposure was less than 0.2% tolerable daily intakes in all cases.
